BJP appeals to Kashmir Pandit, Dogra workers to stay back, assures safety

Kashmiri Hindus say that their lives have become anything but normal after an intensifying spate of targeted killings — and that they desperately want out, yet again. Credit: AFP Photo

As migrant Kashmiri Pandit and Dogra employees have been demanding the government to shift them out of the Valley in the wake of targeted killings, the BJP on Sunday appealed to them to stay back and said the government is determined to defeat the "Pakistani conspiracy".

Calling Jammu and Kashmir the country's crown, the BJP's chief for the union territory Ravinder Raina said, "We have to stand together to scuttle the nefarious designs of Pakistan, which has chalked out the conspiracy of targeted killings through its sponsored terrorists to force out minorities and nationalist Muslims from the Valley."

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"We are fighting a Pakistan-sponsored proxy war for the last 32 years and our army, police and paramilitary forces have given a befitting reply by eliminating thousands of terrorists over the years to frustrate the evil designs of the neighbouring country," Raina said, addressing a gathering of Kashmiri Pandits at the party headquarters here.

He said when terrorism started in the Valley in the early 1990s, Pakistan's plan was to drive out the "nationalist forces", and hence it targeted Kashmiri Pandits and nationalist Muslims in the BJP.

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"Our people fought back bravely... Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government has given a free hand to the army, police and paramilitary forces, and the security situation in the Valley has improved satisfactorily, which is evident from the fact that there is no Hurriyat Conference-sponsored strikes and stone pelting during anti-terrorism operations," he said.

As Pakistan saw the restoration of peace in the Valley, it conspired with the terror groups to bleed Kashmir again and chalked out the strategy of targeted killings to create fear and force fresh migration, he alleged.

"We appeal to all nationalists, including Pandits, Dogras and those who have come from different parts of the country to stay back as we have to join hands to defeat the conspiracies of the enemies," he said, adding the government has already announced their relocation to safer paces and provided them adequate security.